Caves, waterfalls and geological features around Garsdale
The geology around Garsdale is among the most interesting in England, with ancient faults, limestone caves and dramatic rock formations all within easy reach.
Tom Croft Cave and Dovecote Cave are both accessible locally in the Garsdale area. They are natural caves rather than commercial show caves, so bring a torch and take care. Locations are marked on the Garsdale Ordnance Survey maps.
For a more structured experience, White Scar Cave near Ingleton is the longest show cave in Britain, with guided tours lasting about eighty minutes. Ingleborough Cave near Clapham is another fine show cave set beneath one of the Three Peaks.
One of the most significant geological features in northern England runs right through the area. The Dent Fault is an ancient fracture that pushed the rocks on the western (Lake District) side up by as much as two and a half kilometres relative to the eastern (Pennine) side.
The Sedgwick Geological Trail along the River Clough at Danny Bridge follows this fault line, with information boards explaining what you are seeing. It is named after Adam Sedgwick, born in Dent in 1785, who was one of the founders of modern geology.
Cotterdale Force is a waterfall in the small valley of Cotterdale, accessible from the road between Garsdale Head and Hawes. The waterfall was sketched by the painter J.M.W. Turner. It is a quieter alternative to the better-known Hardraw Force and Cautley Spout, and worth seeking out if you enjoy having a place to yourself.
The Yorkshire Dales is a landscape of limestone, and the area around Garsdale shows this at every turn. Dry stone walls line the fields, limestone scars break through the hillsides, and the rivers have carved deep channels through the rock over millennia. For those interested in understanding the landscape, the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes has good exhibitions on the geology and natural history of the area.